The Duties of a Queen
by Rogue Princess
Summary: [Balthier, Ashe, Basch] A Queen has a duty to the Kingdom. A Queen also has a duty to her heart. But to be entangled in a love triangle wasn't part of any of that. The charming pirate steals her heart but the knight wants to protect it. It is her choice.


**Author's Notes:** This is my second story, after publishing my short history essay on Alexander the Great. :D It's time I moved on to my real fandom, Final Fantasy XII, and my OTP. It's a _sort of_ love triangle challenge story, but with the main pairing still Balthier x Ashe, with Mrs A. Solidor. You can check her story out on this site. Anyway, this is technically my first _real _fanfiction. So please read and review, and no flaming please! The first chapter contains some pointless fluff, I hope you don't mind.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FFXII or any of its characters, locations and all related copyrights. Although I wish I did.

* * *

**The Duties of a Queen**

**Chapter I: Silent Jealousy**

The equine neighed and reared upwards, lashing out with iron hooves at Vaan, who dodged it just before it sliced into his throat. Undaunted, the creature fell back a few paces, before charging full force at the youth. Vaan gave a surprised yell as the sharp headpiece of the animal gashed his arm. Blood oozed from the cut as the Dalmascan thief grimaced in pain. "Hey, someone help me here!" He shouted, swinging his axe at the Mesmenir, who dodged it swiftly and started to back away again. It snorted and pawed the ground with its front hoof. A few other Mesmenirs had gathered around their injured comrade, all snorting and whinnying, ready to attack. The party had been battling these iron-clad horses for quite a while now, and obviously they weren't doing very well. An arrow whizzed through the air and struck the first equine in the flank. It neighed in fury as its own blood continued to flow onto the grass.

"Good aim, Fran."

Balthier commented as he loaded his gun, aiming the barrel at the head of the second Mesmenir. The creature pranced about as the sky pirate shifted the gun's aim left. Right. Left and right. Right and left. "Oh, stop moving will you?" He cursed as the beast finally halted. It gave an arrogant snort, before leaning its haunches slightly back. "I don't think this is a very good sign..." Penelo murmured nervously. She was right. A split second later, the Mesmenir had charged, aiming its headbutt right at the chest of the sky pirate. However, Balthier's features remained eerily placid. A gunshot rang out, and the creature trotted unsteadily backwards, a bullet lodged in its head. With a huffing breath, it collapsed on the grass.

"_Very_ good aim, Balthier."

Fran said in her unique accent, giving a light smirk.

The party was currently on a hunt in the Ozmone Plains. It was purely for fun of course, but lately they had been attacked by far too many Wus, Zus, and Vipers that they were tired, hungry and sticky. That was when the Mesmenirs chose to attack of course. And it was purely a stroke of luck. A very bad stroke of luck. It was their first party hunt since Ashe had been crowned Queen. Balthier and Fran had returned for a visit, and Basch had returned also, from Archadia, in order to serve the Queen for a few months, by suggestion of the Archadian Emperor Larsa. After all, the knight had sworn fealty to Dalmasca. Vaan and Penelo came along too, lacking the appropriate adventure in the streets of Rabanastre.

"Don't stop now! There are more coming!"

Ashe's panicked voice broke the triumphant silence. The other Mesmenirs had gathered together in a large clump of metal. "Such are the disadvantages of trekking through the Switchback." Balthier managed to quip before the Mesmenirs started to close the distance between themselves and the party. "I think we should run now." Vaan said. "Her Majesty's life must be protected." Basch corrected, giving Vaan a rather disgruntled glare. He withdrew his sword. "I will fight the Mesmenirs as long as Queen Ashelia is duly safeguarded." "You're really too much sometimes, you know Basch?" The sky pirate sighed. He loaded his gun again and pointed it at the group of Mesmenirs. "Who's the next lucky horse?"

Bang.

The third Mesmenir fell by the sky pirate's bullet as Fran launched yet another arrow. It sliced through the stagnant air and embedded itself in the neck of the nearest offending creature after its comrade had fallen. "They won't stop coming!" Ashe shouted over the commotion as she stabbed a Mesmenir with her sword. A sharp pain tore through her leg as she realized there was yet another equine at her heels, and it had cut a huge gash in her leg. Vaan had just managed to bandage his wound. But hers was serious. Slitting the Mesmenir's throat, she watched as it collapsed. A few more arrows and gunshots, and the battle was over. The carcasses of the Mesmenirs lay before them. "Let's...get...out...before...more...come..." Vaan managed to utter breathlessly.

"Wait. Princess, you're hurt."

"She's not a princess anymore, Balthier." Penelo reminded him.

The sky pirate's concerned expression did not change, but he coughed before answering the girl.

"Yes, yes. _Ashe_, you're hurt."

Ashe did not seem to mind the sky pirate calling her by her name, as everyone else called her 'Your Majesty', or 'Her Highness'. It grated on her nerves sometimes. "I'm fine..." She muttered, trying to get up. But a sharp pain once again stabbed her in the leg and she collapsed on the grass. "We...shouldn't have gone on this hunt. We only got ourselves injured." "But it has been a long time since we hunted together as a party, is it not?" The sky pirate replied. "Only a few months since my coronation." Ashe said. "Come on, I'll help you back to the palace." Balthier said, bending down and picking her up as easy as a lightweight package. "Balthier--" Ashe started. "Shhh." The sky pirate shushed. "You shouldn't be walking the long distance back." Basch shot Balthier a disgruntled look, a blonde eyebrow arching up at the _pirate'_s apparant gallantry.

The journey back was grueling, particularly for Basch, who had to endure watching Balthier wrap his arms around the knight's liege.

"Wait, I've got the answer somewhere in my pouch..."

Balthier said. He placed Ashe on the mat which they had laid out for the night. A bright fire crackled in the midst of the seated party members. Reaching around in his pocket, the sky pirate withdrew a roll of linen bandages. "One must always come prepared for a hunt." He declared, patting an iron carapace he had picked up from one of the Mesmenirs earlier. "This will fetch a fine price at the market. But for now..." Balthier began unrolling the bandages, before cutting it carefully on the edge of the carapace. "Parts of a Mesmenir certainly has its uses." He chuckled. Once the bandage was neatly cut, he wound it around the clotting wound on Ashe's leg, and watched as the crimson stain started to soak through the ivory linen. Setting the bandage in place carefully with some sap Balthier had gathered earlier from treants in the Golmore Jungle, he smiled down in satisfaction at his work.

"Not bad." Ashe teased.

"Very good." Balthier corrected.

Basch just glared.

* * *

"You really shouldn't attempt to walk after today's injury." 

Balthier commented, watching as Ashe limped across the marbled floor of her bedchamber towards the canopy bed, her face twisted in a grimace of pain. "I. Will. Walk." She maintained, narrowing her eyes. Her mood had really changed since the campfire. They were already back in the Royal Palace of Rabanastre, and the sky pirate had personally carried Her Majesty into the room. She had just awoken by then. The party had set off in the unearthly hours of the morning, and because Ashe was still asleep, Balthier said he'd carry her back. Which is just what he did. Obviously she didn't take well to waking up groggy, with a migraine and realizing she was still being carried by a certain flamboyant sky pirate. So she got him to put her down.

"It's nice to see you try."

Balthier quipped, his lips curving in a smirk.

Ashe gave him a spiteful look, before finally making it to the bed and collapsing on its quilt. Balthier folded his arms and continued to smile innocently at her. "What?" Ashe inquired sharply. "Oh nothing." Balthier replied airily. "I think I might go down for the banquet now." Ashe had arranged a banquet previously before they had set out, to commemorate the rejoining of the party after the hunt. Despite her injury, Ashe had told the servants the banquet would go as planned. It was a rather private celebration, really. Only the servants of the palace and her party would sit down and eat. Balthier turned to leave.

"Wait."

"Yes, _Princess_?"

"I..."

"She is _Queen_ Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca now, sky pirate."

Basch's monotone cut into Balthier's thoughts. The sky pirate turned. "Oh, Basch. You don't have to be overly concerned about titles. That's just what they are, titles. Nothing to be fussed over." "Really? If it is your decision then, criminal." "_Sky pirate_. I'm a _sky pirate_." Balthier snapped. There were times when the usually charming Balthier ran out of clever responses to wry comments such as Basch's. "Your Majesty, the banquet is ready." Basch continued, ignoring the sky pirate completely. "I see. I will be down soon." Ashe replied as Basch bowed and exited. "Not a very pleasant man, is he?" Balthier said. "He did have a sense of humour." Ashe observed. There was a quick flashback to the time they snuck into Archades, where Basch commented on the 'difficulties of serving royalty'. That was when the pirate and Basch were still on rather good terms. Now the relationship seemed to have been strained slightly. And Balthier knew why. He wasn't stupid. And _everyone_ knew that.

The banquet was a rather glorious occasion, although it all passed in a flash. After that, drinks were served. The drinks consisted of a strong wine. It was a hue of deep scarlet and reminded Penelo vaguely of blood. "Come on, drink up!" Vaan cheered, taking a large gulp. The others looked on, rather appalled that someone the boy's age would so gladly partake of such an alchoholic beverage.

"I think you should stop, Vaan."

Penelo said, concerned.

"But it's nice. And it makes me think less about the treasures we _didn't_ find today."

Vaan complained, waving the golden goblet up in the air in a toast. The others shrugged and raised their goblets as well, toasting to a new beginning for Dalmasca, and for their relationship as a party. The servants were glad that they had been invited, and were now rather hungrily gobbling up the succulent, steaming food placed on the ornate table. Watching the servants' ravenous appetites take their course, Balthier gave a faint grimace. "You should treat your servants better, _Queen_ Ashe." He said aloud. This caused a few of the servants to look up, their faces flushed red, and start to chew normally.

"We have very few chances to enjoy such delicacies, Sir."

A servant said demurely, although her face was covered with a thick sauce.

The sky pirate gave a hearty laugh, which was joined by the rest of the party, except Basch. He had his usual steely, stony expression plastered all over his features, and he was guarding the party with his sword tucked in his belt.

The night wore on, and soon they were all tired.

"Spend the night at the palace." Ashe said. "I will have the servants arrange rooms for you."

At that, Basch's features took on a rather rare worried expression, matched with another smirk of Balthier's.

* * *

**A/N:** Hm, wonder what will happen next? To be continued, folks. 


End file.
